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Getting Started on OtherSpace
The staff of OtherSpace have made getting started on the MUSH as easy as possible. This guide will tell you what to expect as you go through character generation and the application process. You may also be interested in reading how to connect to OtherSpace. OtherSpace Character Creation Logging In OtherSpace players are required to demonstrate familiarity with theme and grasp of character by writing full-blown backgrounds for their characters in order to be considered for approval. To create a character, you must first log in to OtherSpace at jointhesaga.com 1790. It is recommended that you use client software, such as SimpleMU or MUSHClient rather than raw Telnet to make this text-based connection. On the connection screen type create (name) (password). Be sure to capitalize your character's name and do not use a name from an existing work of fantasy or science fiction. Our application readers do check for this sort of thing, so no Aragorns, Skywalkers or Snake Plisskens, please. If you find you must change your name before character generation is complete, type +name (newname) (password). You'll connect in a room called the Dream Nexus, our out-of-character hangout zone. Automatically, you'll be added to the Public and Newbie OOC discussion channels. Here, you can ask for assistance and get to know other players. Type +pub (message) to talk on the Public channel. Type +new (message) to talk on the Newbie channel. Optionally, you can type @chan/on Recruiting to add yourself to that channel, and allow players to try to get you to join their crews. Type +rec (message) to talk on the Recruiting channel. Things to do on +newbie The newbie channel is most likely to be the first time talking to other players and staff on the mush, therefore it is useful to know a couple things to make using the channel easy, efficient, and effective. #Wave back! - Often within a few seconds of logging in, someone will wave or otherwise greet you on the newbie channel. These are players and staff that have chosen to assist new players through the character generation process. Waving back, or saying 'Hello' after a greeting is an excellent and easy way to opening a way to a conversation to help you. #Keep reading the wiki - If you are here already, then you are on the wiki, obviously. Keep a browser window with the wiki easily accessible so that you may easily look up mentioned links or search for topics mentioned that you do not understand yet. #Capitalize and punctuate - As mentioned earlier, the newbie channel is often the first set of players you will speak with. You do not know many of us just yet, and most of us do not know you. Thus English skills serve as a first impression. No need to worry painstakingly over being perfect, but capitalization and punctuation are an easy way to make a positive impression. #Stay on topic - On +newbie, avoid going on tangents not relevant to the game or your character ideas. Since neither the players, staff, nor yourself are familiar with each other, things like tangents and jokes can derail the assistance process. Unfortunately many who log in over the years have applied for outrageous concepts, and so when you mention such an outrageous idea, even in jest, it is difficult to tell if it is a joke or a serious comment. #Be courteous - Like the previous two points, making a first impression is important, and being polite on the newbie channel is an easy way to make a good impression. #Enthusiasm! - Finally, be enthusiastic, new players who log in and show enthusiasm for the game are likely to receive many more offers of recruitment than those who don't, and this makes starting out on a new game much easier. When you're ready to begin setting up your character, look in the Dream Nexus for an exit marked Get Your Character. Type OCC to proceed. Character Generation Through that exit, you'll find the entrance to the OtherSpace Chargen Center. You must answer the 20 questions listed on the questions object in this room. These questions give us an indication of your past RP experience, maturity level, at least passing familiarity with our game, and your knowledge of RP etiquette and sportsmanship. Once you answer the questions, you may proceed through either the Humans or the Aliens exit. After that, it's pretty much a cattle chute: You walk through a series of rooms, picking your race, and end up in a waiting room where you will be instructed on writing a bio. Check out the Writing a biography article as well as the Bad Bios. Characters begin with a +sheet containing the most basic racial skills, you will need to raise your skills after your bio is approved. Consult the FUDGE guide for an explantion on how to translate your biography into numbers and coded skills. Select an Affiliation Many new players tend to fare better during their stay at Otherspace when they have a group to associate their character with. While there are some groups that are wholly independent, most groups tend to be either organizations, ships, or both. Organizations are groups of like minded characters that work for similar ends. This may be a company, a ship, or even an ideological cause. Ships are often the main place of activity for many organizations. List of organizations open to players shows the most notable organizations and ships that are currently seeking out characters. New players are encouraged to seek these opportunities out during their character's creation. This not only gives a character people to roleplay with, but introduces the player to an aspect of the player community of Otherspace. The Races of OtherSpace OtherSpace players currently have 15 different races, both humanoid and exotic, available in our character creation system. If a particular race interests you, click on the name for more information. Humanoids Human: Found primarily on Mars, Deserata and Waldheim, these people saw the homeworld of humanity - Earth - decimated by plasma bombs set off by radical human-purists in the year 3000. Earth has only recently become accessible again, with several undersea colonies. Humans tend to be rather put off by aliens. Lunite: Descended from 22nd Century Specialists who were liberated and given the ability to reproduce and live longer lives, the denizens of Luna now live under the oversight of the government on Mars and Earth. Qua: Descended from Native Americans who fled Sol System during the Mankind-Zangali War in the 22nd Century. Strong connection with nature. Sivadian: Greatly influenced by British culture, the people of Sivad are rather prim, proper and usually possessed of dry wit. They're also known to tinker with genetics. They've long used mass-produced, limited-life-span human clones, called Specialists, to do the jobs no one else wants to do. Ungstiri: Tough, skeptical and often fatalistic, the Ungstiri are descendants of Eastern European/Asian colonists who settled on the planet Youngster centuries ago - before the Nall came, tried to conquer them, and then, when that failed, blew the planet to pieces. And then the Kretonians came. And then the Nall came. And then the Nall came again. See a trend? The Ungstiri have endured a lot, leading to some fairly grim but ultimately optimistic philosophizing. Aliens Human-esque Aliens The human-esque aliens of OtherSpace all share a common heritage, although they have turned out differently during the course of their evolution and cultural development. The Timonae and Vollistan Light Singers all are direct descendants of an omnipotent (but now mostly extinct) transdimensional race known as the Kamir. Timonae: Descended from Mystics who were exiled from Val Shohob for wanting to use their telepathic gifts for personal profit, the Timonae are now a race of fortune tellers and free spirits who have a rather rogue-ish reputation. Vollistan Light Singer: The Vollistans evolved independently of the Mystics and Timonae, on a world deep in Nall-controlled territory. For many years, Vollistans served as interrogators for the Nall, using their powerful psionic abilities to mentally brutalize captives. After civil war wracked the Parallax in 2651, however, Vollista became a free world. That freedom lasted until 2652, when the invading Kretonians accidentally destroyed a wormhole near Vollista and surrounded the planet in a cloud of energy and dust that played havoc with any vessels that sought to land and wrecked most high-tech gadgetry on the planet. Modern-day Vollistans are poets, singers, artists and - okay, we'll say it - hippies who have their own walking mood rings: An aura that shifts color depending on the emotion felt at any given time. Weird Aliens All of these races promise a unique and challenging roleplaying experience. For that reason, we recommend them only for the most advanced and experienced players. Centauran: Asexual crystalline jellyfish that breathe nitrogen, communicate telepathically, prefer temperatures of -120 degrees Fahrenheit or colder, and spontaneously give birth to an offspring once every six or seven years. You want exotic - well, Centaurans are about as exotic as it gets around here. G'ahnli: Telepathic, totally unfamiliar with the idea of a traditional human family (they're born from thousands of eggs on a reef laid by anonymous females and fertilized by anonymous males), and absolutely obsessed with making money through commerce. They're like a cross between a tarpon, a dolphin, and a late-night infomercial host. They get around on airbreather worlds in clunky hovertank aquariums, but they're graceful as all get out once they're in open water. Odarite: All males of this insectoid species are born to serve city-queens, and the city-queens traditionally serve the Odarite Merchants Guild - the closest thing Odari has to a government. So, Odarite males are bred to join the OMG in some capacity, whether as a pilot, a trader, an engineer, or just a bodyguard. Able to leap high and fly short distances. NOTE: You'd play a male. City-queens are NPCs. Sorry! Ydahri: These affable amphibians of Ydahr are cousins of the G'ahnli. Once a conquered race serving the Nall as slaves, these newt-like aliens can walk on all fours or bipedally. They're very community-minded and enjoy tight-knit families. While they also enjoy commerce, they aren't out to rip people off (as the G'ahnli sometimes, we must admit, are apt to do). They actually go out of their way to make sure people get a good deal. Imagine the Geico Insurance lizard crossed with Beaver Cleaver. Scaly Aliens Zangali: These large, hulking reptiloids are smarter than most people give them credit for, but that intelligence is sometimes hampered by a super-sized sense of pride, honor and fair play. So, when a Zangali gets it in his or her head that an injustice is in the offing, tempers often flare. NOTE: Because Zangali are quite strong and tend to flip into berserker mode when fighting, they are ineligible to receive luck cards. Fuzzy Aliens Castori: Bear-like telepaths with a knack for engineering who must hibernate three months out of every year. Tight-knit families. These aliens believe in the Great Dreamer and look forward with optimism to their final hibernation, when they transcend to the Great Dream. Demarian: Tall, agile, bipedal felinoids who are prideful and sometimes vain, despite enduring a number of cultural setbacks. In 2651, many Demarians fled their homeworld aboard the Sanctuary colony vessel to escape the invading Kretonians. When they returned in the year 3000, they found their ancient cities in ruins. Two new cities were born: Gleaming Star, for those still devoted to the noble way of life, with a wealthy upper class served by indentured underclassers; and New Alhira, for those who sought a more liberal culture. In 3003, the Demarians of Gleaming Star learned of a world beyond the multiverse nexus called Pansheera, settled by Demarians like them. So they hopped aboard the Sanctuary colony vessel for Oswald Cottington IV's ambitious voyage to the multiverse nexus - only to arrive and be overrun by the Nall. The Pansheera-bound Demarians have either returned to Demaria or gone to live on other worlds, such as Sivad. Theorian: Telepathic felinoid quadrapeds that travel in packs, they may be best imagined as a cross between a pride of wild cats and a group of networked supercomputers. They dwell in the wilderness of Demaria. They're an ancient race, believed to be a precursor of the bipedal Demarians. NOTE: Due to the pack setup of the Theorians, we require that at least two people play the same Theorian "pack." Also, because this is a difficult race to play, we recommend it only for the most experienced players. Worlds When OtherSpace started in 1998, the known universe was divided into three distinct regions: The Earth-centered Stellar Consortium, the Nall-dominated Parallax and the sometimes chaotically independent Fringe. Much has happened since then, when the in-game year was 2650. It's now 3007 (just add 1,000 years to the current RL year to get the in-game date). The current main regions are the Solar Republic, which consists of Mars, Luna and the plasma-bomb devastated Earth; the Parallax, which consists of Nalhom, Lebal, Vollista, Grimlahd and the forbidden world of Nocturn - as well as control of access to the multiverse nexus; the Sivadian Empire, which consists of Sivad, the colony worlds of Waldheim and Nialesia, and the resort world of Deserata; and the independent worlds, which include Quaquan, Ungstir, La Terre, Tomin Kora, Antimone, Centauri, Demaria, Odari, G'ahnlo, Ydahr, Phyrria, Val Shohob and Castor. Solar Republic Formed by Martian First Consul Darian Ellesmere in February 3004 after the Sol-Sivad War ended, this fledgling government seeks to recapture some of the ancient glory of the Stellar Consortium. It establishes a representative council to govern the worlds of Mars, Luna and Earth. The worlds of the Republic have been through hell in the past four years, with Earth suffering massive plasma bombing by its own insufferable xenophobes not just once, but twice, and all three planets getting switched with alternate versions during the Moebius Effect. Mars: The terraformed red planet is the seat of power of the Solar Republic, home to the government headquarters and the military - once known as the Martian Legions, then the Guardian Fleet, the military is now called the Vanguard in honor of the Consortium's old military. Staffer contacts: Brody, Aeolus, Leonidas, Danish. Luna: Earth's satellite is home primarily to the descendants of 22nd Century Specialists who revolted against their masters and achieved reproductive rights and extended lifespans. Staffer contacts: Brody, Aeolus, Leonidas, Alf. Earth: The homeworld of humanity is a decimated wreck of swirling plasma storms, with all who dwell on the planet surviving primarily within undersea colonies. Staffer contacts: Brody, Aeolus, Leonidas. Kingdom of Sivad Under the leadership of His Majesty, King Richard, and the Council of Equals, Sivad has enjoyed a period of economic growth and territorial expansion in the past few years. Most recently, the Empire gained Deserata, a resort world and former Republic holding, as part of the peace treaty reached on Sol Station. The so-called Sivadian Empire also has taken under its flag the colony worlds of Nialesia and Waldheim. Sivad also spearheaded the creation of the Orion Arm Treaty Organization (OATO). Sivad: A tropical paradise planet whose inhabitants are largely British and western European-descended. Specialists - genetically engineered humans designed to work as relatively inexpensive labor with a built-in five-year lifespan - are common. The practice of owning Specialists is generally accepted among Sivadians, although it can seem distasteful to more liberal-minded outsiders. Staffer contacts: Aeolus. Waldheim: A colony world of German-descended humans that, until 3003, was effectively cut off from the rest of the known universe and had no knowledge of the Moebius Effect, Sanctuary, the Kretonian Invasion - anything that happened on OtherSpace during the past six years, the Waldheimers missed, living in their utopian-esque bubble. Staffer contacts: Aeolus. Nialesia: A colony world settled long ago by Sivadians, whose descendants eventually forgot much of their heritage and took to a more primitive lifestyle. The world was afflicted with a terrible plague soon after its discovery by Sivad in the 31st Century. Staffer contacts: Aeolus. Deserata: A resort planet that, during the Moebius Effect crisis, served as the fall-back position for the Martian government. Deserata is a world of theme parks, where Specialists are created to emulate famous figures, from Wyatt Earp to King Arthur. The planet is also home to the unfinished Pallas Arcology, a project abandoned by the Martians after Sivad's Royal Naval Service seized Deserata during the Sol-Sivad War. Staffer contacts: Aeolus and Brody. Parallax Now led by Vox Ulka of Hatch Kithar, the diminuitive reptiloids of the Parallax recently expanded their holdings, through peaceful means, to include Nalhom, Lebal, Grimlahd, Vollista and Nocturn. Last year, during the reign of the usurper Vox Ock of Hatch Vril, the Nall violently conquered Grimlahd and Vollista, and seized Oswald Cottington's Sanctuary colony vessel after it arrived near the forbidden world of Nocturn and the multiverse nexus. Grimlahd and Vollista regained their independence after Ulkakithar resumed power, and then voluntarily joined the Parallax as part of an economic and military alliance. The Parallax held control of access to the multiverse nexus until the Birthright War, in which they were sorely defeated. Many believe that Nall have now fled past the Nexus, gathering their strength. Nalhom: The Nall homeworld, headquarters of the Parallax government, covered with tropical jungles and sparkling emerald seas. Staffer contacts: Brody. Lebal: Warm, but rather desolate, this planet hosts the headquarters of the Vox Nalia Church. Staffer contacts: Brody. Nocturn: Once home to the Kamir, also known to the Nall as the "Darksiders," this forbidden planet is condemned as evil. It serves the Nall primarily as a navigational marker, with its proximity to the multiverse nexus. Staffer contacts: Brody. Grimlahd: The chilly homeworld of the reptiloid Zangali and Grimlahdi, where the inhabitants dwell in cave cities. Staffer contacts: Brody. Vollista: A temperate world of forests and mountains, home to the creative but rather tech-shy Vollistan Light Singers. Staffer contacts: Brody. Independent Worlds Not everyone wants to be part of something bigger than themselves. Thirteen worlds dwell on the political fringes of the galaxy, minding their own business as much as possible while trying to remain intact and unconquered. Quaquan: Settled centuries ago by Native American colonists, this world is also home to a small enclave of Val Shohobian Mystics. Staffer contacts: Brody. New Luna : Formally settled by the Lunites in 3000, this fledgling planet is home to hundreds of thousands of refugees from the myriad wars that have raged through the Orion arm in the last several years. Now faced with the conquering of their parent 'planet' Luna by the Solar Republic, they are all alone in the galaxy, and trying desperately to find their place. Staffer contact: Wik. Ungstir: When first settled by eastern European and Russian colonists centuries ago, this was an Earth-like planet named Youngster. Then the Nall arrived, tried to conquer the planet, and, when the colonists resisted, the Clawed Fist Fleet fired a Coreseeker missile at the planet, shattering it. In 2651, the inhabited chunks that became known as Ungstir were conquered by the Kretonian Invasion. In 2806, the Nall returned and destroyed Ungstir Prime - Kret headquarters - as part of their genocidal rampage against the Kretonians. In the year 3001, the Nall invaded Ungstir after Lord Boromov's minions attacked a Nall warship. Later that year, the Nall liberated Ungstir. Staffer contacts: Brody, Dolfan. La Terre: Discovered in the year 3000 by Bartholomew Ritter, this polydenum-rich world showed much promise. A madman named Gustav Eiger tried to use that polydenum to shatter the planet, but was thwarted. Tragically, in the year 3001, as an invading fleet of Lem'ing vessels approached, Governor Ritter gave the order to detonate plasma bombs within veins of volatile polydenum - he chose to destroy the planet, killing all the inhabitants, rather than risking the conquest of the Lem'ing. In 3002, as a demonstration of goodwill toward corporeal beings, the Ri'Kammi Hive Mind restored the planet La Terre - without polydenum. Recently, the Parallax declared La Terre a cursed planet, a ghost world, and it refuses to do business with such a planet. Staffer contacts: Brody. Tomin Kora: Once the headquarters of Lord Fagin the Pirate King and Fagin's Riches, this desolate world within the violet and blue Tomin Nebula in the year 3000 became home to the corporate headquarters of Boss Cabrerra and Cabrerra Industries. The domed city of Shadowheart answered to only one rule: Don't cross the boss. But after a Royal Naval Service attack devastated the city and Majordomo Grim vanished after a showdown beyond the multiverse nexus, the city has fallen into absolute chaos, where no single boss remains to enforce the one law. Now, on Tomin Kora, only the strong - and the very smart or lucky - survive. Staffer contacts: Fishbreath, Brody. Antimone: Homeworld of the freewheeling Timonae. Staffer contacts: Brody. Centauri: Icy homeworld of the sentient, psychokinetic crystalline jellyfish known as Centaurans. Staffer contacts: Brody. Demaria: Once the proud home of noble felinoid Demarian society, this world of deserts and jungles is now primarily home to liberated Demarian underclassers and former nobility who have given up their rich trappings to become altruistic and kind. The die-hard nobles now live offworld, either on Pansheera - beyond the multiverse nexus - or on Sivad or other similar worlds that are more accepting of the noble lifestyle. Staffer contacts: Brody. Odari: The icy homeworld of the insectoid Odarites, their hive cities, and their all-encompassing Odarite Merchants Guild. Staffer contacts: Brody. G'ahnlo: Sea-covered homeworld of the fish-like, commerce-loving, telepathic G'ahnli. Staffer contacts: Fishbreath. Ydahr: Swampy homeworld of the newt-like, mild-mannered, community-minded, almost Amish-like cousins of the G'ahnli, the Ydahri. Staffer contacts: Fishbreath. Phyrria: Toxically polluted homeworld of the sentient mechanoids known as Phyrrians and their AI monarch: The Overmind. Staffer contacts: Brody. Val Shohob: Homeworld of the Val Shohobian Mystics. This planet was destroyed in a supernova in 2651, but resurrected as a gesture of goodwill by the Ri'Kammi Hive Mind in the year 3001. For about a year, it hosted a branch headquarters of the Vanguard military. It was conquered briefly by the Nall in 3003. In February 3004, Eye Mordecai of the Mystics announced he and his followers would abandon Val Shohob and journey beyond the multiverse nexus, never to return. They returned in 3006, changed into Kamir. Staffer contacts: Brody. Castor: Heavily forested homeworld of the ursinoid Castori, tech-savvy creatures who must sleep three months each year. Staffer contacts: Brody. category:OtherSpace